INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan State may have walked out of the building on Tuesday at the State Farm Championship Classic with a 92-87 “L” but freshman Aaron Henry walked out with a big fat “W” as far as I’m concerned. Henry is a local product from the West Side that was a standout at Ben Davis over the last 3 years or so. He led the Giants to a Class 4A State Championship in 2017 as a junior, balled out his senior year and it was off to become a Spartan.
So everybody in the local area that watches college basketball had their eyes fixed on Bankers Life Fieldhouse to see what the young freshman would do on probably the biggest stage of the college basketball season with the exception of the NCAA Tournament. Oh yeah playa, the State Farm Championship Classic is HUGE!!! It features four of the biggest names in college hoops every year and everybody’s tuned in to see it.
Michigan State was ranked No.10 and they were playing the No.1 team in the land, the Kansas Jayhawks, and we had a a local kid playing in this game. Did I mention that the world was watching? Okay, just making sure.
Aaron Henry comes off of the bench with probably his heart pounding like a Mack Truck in his throat and plays a total of 15 minutes. On his first touch of the rock he went straight to the rack and old school yoked on a boy. In case you didn’t know what that meant it’s ghetto fabulous for “He got a nasty dunk on the defender.” Keep up with me now.
He finished the ball game shooting 2 or 4 for 4 points and was terrific on the defensive end of the floor. In your mind you’re thinking, that’s not a lot of points or time in a 40 minute game. No it wasn’t bruh but it’s a start for a very humble and talented young man that I’ve had the pleasure of covering during his high school career. He’s got a boat load more of potential in him than that. We’re just scratching the surface.
There were a ton of kids from this city that saw a guy that they know and grew up with playing on national television on Tuesday night. That means that he inspired one, if not several, of those kids to practice harder today, study harder today and tonight and be accountable to the process before them. If you want to succeed like Aaron Henry has to this point then do the same work that he’s done.
This isn’t about just winning basketball games or playing on national television. It’s about using your talent to earn a scholarship to improve your life down the line. Aaron is not only getting a great basketball experience but he’s getting a free education and an introduction to great people from all walks of life. Remember that in Proverbs 18:16 it says, “A man’s gift will make room for him and brings him into the presence of the great.”
We all saw what Aaron’s gift did for him just last night on the biggest stage in college basketball and that was only night No.1. Think about where his talent will take him all season long. Think of the people he’s going to meet along the way and the experience he’ll be able to have just by using the gift that God gave him.
Listen up Young Playas, pay attention to what the people that have come before you have been able to do with their talent and model your behavior after them. Aaron Henry is a great example of a kid that simply decided to work just a little harder between his junior and senior year at Ben Davis and look at him now. Stop me when I start lyin’!